Distort: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when something is altered or changed, often in a way that makes it look unnatural or incorrect, frequently used in the context of information, truth, or physical objects.

• The media can sometimes distort the facts
• The lens distorted the image

Generally refers to physical changes where an object loses its regular shape or form, often used in engineering, biology, and physical descriptions.

• The heat caused the plastic to deform
• His foot was deformed due to an injury

Can refer to both physical and metaphorical twisting. Often implies manipulation or alteration of shape or meaning, sometimes carries negative connotations.

• She twisted her ankle while running
• He twisted her words during the argument

Usually applied to the incorrect or misleading portrayal of something, often with intent to deceive. Commonly seen in legal contexts or discussions about ethics and honesty.

• The company was accused of misrepresenting its earnings
• She felt the article misrepresented her views

Use when describing when something is twisted or altered, usually in a way that makes it unclear or untrue.

• The lenses of my glasses distort my vision.
• The media can sometimes distort the facts.

Use when describing the act of skillfully controlling or influencing someone or something, often in a deceptive way.

• She tried to manipulate the results of the experiment.
• Politicians sometimes manipulate the narrative to gain support.

Use when talking about understanding or explaining something incorrectly.

• People often misinterpret his silence as being rude.
• The study was misinterpreted by the media.

Use when describing the action of altering information or documents with the intention to deceive.

• He was caught trying to falsify his grades.
• The company falsified financial reports to attract investors.

Best used when describing a change that makes something appear different from its usual shape or sound, often in a negative way.

• The funhouse mirror distorted my reflection, making me look taller and thinner.
• The politician's statements were distorted by the media.

Used to describe a situation where a system or person is given too much to handle, causing it to malfunction or shut down.

• The electrical circuit was on the verge of overload due to too many appliances being used simultaneously.
• The server crashed due to an overload of incoming requests.

Commonly used in audio and video production to indicate the cutting off of a signal when it exceeds a certain level, resulting in loss of detail.

• There was clipping in the audio recording, making it sound harsh and distorted.
• You need to lower the volume to prevent clipping during the live performance.

Often used in computing to describe data that has been altered, making it unusable or incorrect, also has negative connotations in terms of morality or integrity.

• The file got corrupt and I couldn't open it anymore.
• The politician was accused of corrupt practices.